Date: Fri Sep 15 11:35:21 1995
From: imagi.net!markair@imagelan.com
Subject: Re: Baidarka bend...
To: baidarka@imagelan.com
Message-Id: <9509151946.AA10109@aurora.alaska.edu>
>
>What I'm hearing people say is that the flex is good, but
>that if the kayak hogs, then is will slow down... My
>experience with my own (Dyson 5.28, aluminum) is that there
>is too much flex...no, there is too much bend with the
>weight of the paddler...
>In George's note, he imlied, I believe, that the tubular
>gunnels provide too much flex, and that wooden gunnels would
>be stiffer...
>What if we laid in a 12 to 14 foot strip of light, but
>strong wood (spruce would be ideal if available) that was
>7/16 thick, and fit the space between the gunnel and the
>first string below it, lashed to the outside of the frames.
>This would add little weight, and would significantly
>stiffen the hull...(would also require re-skinning in a
>retrofit)...
>I am very seriously thinking of doing this, but would like
>to hear from others before starting....Note..I have other
>reasons to reskin...see my notes that Nick Schade has on his
>WEB page...i.e.: move frame 5 forward an inch to get more
>knee room, fix up (aesthetic issue only) the bow, (not in my
>building notes) redo the pump outlet which I put under the
>waterline and I think may be leaking...TLC
I am just starting to build a 5.28m baidarka. I am interested in
where this discussion may go; what about the possiblity of sliding
a smaller diameter tube into the gunwhale for some determined
distance say 6 or 8 feet beside the cockpit.
Tom, what are you planning to do with the bow?